Not the End
by ForeverGoldenHeart
Summary: The last bit of color in his face and light in his eyes faded. Johnny's lifeless head sank back into the pillow. "Dammit Johnny!" I begged, slamming my fist into the wall. "Don't die, please don't die..."


**Not the End  
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**Author's Note: This story is in Dally POV from when the Greasers beat the Socs in the rumble, their visit to Johnny in the hospital and when Dally robs the store after. Some of the dialogue is from the book and the movie. No slash.  
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The rain poured down as we watched the Socs retreat and we cheered in our victory. "We won," Darry announced. "We beat the Socs." Everyone was jumping around and celebrating. I stood still for a minute, trying to take it all in.

_We beat the Socs. _Darry's words echoed through my mind.

I couldn't believe we did it. After all of this time. Johnny would be happy to hear about that.

_Johnny…_

The thought reminded me of what I still needed to do. As happy as I was to have finally beaten those bastards, I had other plans in mind.

"Come on!" I grabbed Ponyboy by his shirt and pulled him to his feet from the ground. "We're goin' to see Johnny!" I almost had to drag him to my car.

_Damn kid….so slow._

"Hurry! He was getting worse when I left! He wants to see you!" I shoved him along until we reached the T-Bird I borrowed from Buck Merril. We both hopped in and I turned car on and sped down the street. I didn't pay any attention to the speed and I ran a few red lights. It was when I heard a siren behind me that I looked at the speedometer: _95 mph._

_Ah, crap… the damn fuzz decided to show._

I groaned and cursed under my breath as I pulled the car over. I was frustrated. The last thing I needed was any delays, especially by the damn cops. I hoped the fuzz would make it fast, Johnny looked horrible when I last saw him and he almost passed out before I left. We needed to get to him as soon as possible. But how?

An idea formed in my head.

"Look sick!" I ordered Ponyboy. "I'll say I'm taking you to the hospital, which'll be truth enough." Ponyboy did as I told and leaned against the car window. I rolled my window down as the cop came over to my side.

"All right, buddy, where's the fire?" The policeman asked in an annoyed tone.

"The kid-" I pointed my finger toward Ponyboy. "He fell over on his motorcycle and I'm takin' him to the hospital." Ponyboy groaned.

The fuzz was eating the story up. He looked very concerned and gazed at Ponyboy. He was still all bruised and cut up from the rumble. I couldn't deny it, but he looked pretty awful.

"Is he really bad?" The cop asked in a kinder tone. "Do you need an escort?"

I fought hard to hold back a smile. Everything was going exactly according to plan, I didn't want to blow our cover now.

"How would I know if he's bad or not? I ain't no doc! Yeah, we could use an escort!"

_Yes! _This was perfect! We would be able to see Johnny in no time.

I waited until the fuzz got back into his car before I hissed, "Sucker!" under my breath and I rolled the car window up. I glanced at the clock anxious to get to the hospital quick when a horrible thought crossed my mind. What if Johnny didn't survive the damage done by the fire?

_NO! No_, _don't think like that. _I tried to reason with myself. Of course he would be alright...wouldn't he? He was Johnny after all. He would be able to make it through this, right?

_If Ponyboy was smart and didn't run into the fire like I told him to, then none of this would've happened, _I thought. Johnny would have been okay and none of us would have ended up in the hospital.

I started talking and ranting on the way there. I didn't care what I was saying, I just said the first things that came into my mind.

"I was crazy, you know that kid? Crazy for wantin' Johnny to stay out of trouble, for not wanting him to get hard," I continued on. It was all clear to me now. I should have figured it out before. "If he'd been like me he'd never have been in this mess. If he'd got smart like me he'd never run into that chruch. That's what you get for helpin' people. Editorials in the paper and a lot of trouble...you'd better wise up, Pony..."

I kept on talking. I didn't care whether Ponyboy was listening or not, I said whatever I wanted.

We flew past the other cars as the cop cleared the streets for us and we arrived at the hospital in no time.

_Ha. Thanks stupid cop._ I thought as we pulled up in front of the hospital. "Stay where you are," I commanded Pony.

I shoved my car door open and walked over to Ponyboy's side and yanked his door open. I made a big show out of helping him out in front of the fuzz and I nearly carried Ponyboy out of the car.

"Goodnight," The cop said. "I hope the kid will be okay."

"Yeah, thanks," I nodded in his direction. I waited until the fuzz drove off before I let go Ponyboy and shouted, "Hurry! Let's go!"

We burst through the hospital doors and ran through the lobby and I ignored the other people's complains and insults as we shoved our way into the elevator. The only thing that mattered to me was getting to Johnny.

The doors opened and we ran all the way to Johnny's room. I was about to open the door when the doctor stepped into the way.

"What the-" I began.

"I'm sorry, boys, you can't see him now. He is dying," The doctor cut me off.

_Dying? Johnny was dying and he wouldn't let us see him?  
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Fury rose inside of me.

"We gotta see him!" I flicked out Two-Bit's switchblade. I was staring to feel more desperate than angry now and I didn't like the feeling.

"We're gonna see him and if you give me any static you'll end up on your own operatin' table!" I threatened. I tried to sound menacing but my voice came out shaky. _What is the matter with me?_ I didn't recognize what was happening to me but I didn't care. I was going to see Johnny even if I had to break the door down.

The doctor didn't look the slightest bit phased.

"Fine, you can see him, but it's because you're his friends, not because of that knife."

I stared at him for a second as if he were kidding, then put the knife away. Ponyboy followed me into the room and we both stood staring at Johnny. He was very still and silent. Were we too late?

I gulped hard, trying to shake those thoughts away. Finally, I found my voice, "Johnnycake?" I called him by his old nickname. My voice sounded hoarse. "Johnny?"

He moved slightly and opened his eyes. "Hey," he said in a soft whisper.

I was starting to sweat. I knew he was very close to death but I wouldn't believe it. "We won," I panted. "We beat the Socs. We stomped them out of our territory."

I thought Johnny would be pleased to hear about that. i thought he would be happy we beat the Socs. To my surprise his reaction was different. He didn't smile like I thought he would and congratulate us. "Useless..." Johnny croaked. "Fighting's no good..." He looked really pale. I struggled for words as I tried to figure out what else to say to him.

"Uh," I looked around nervously. Ponyboy stood next to me, still the entire time. He looked just as worried as I was. "They're still writing editorials about you in the paper. For being a hero and all." Johnny looked interested and I calmed down a little bit. "They're calling you a hero now and heroizin' all the greasers. We're all proud of you buddy."

Johnny's entire face and eyes lit up at the last part. For a moment I forgot how injured he was and thought he was going to be okay. I wasn't what it was that I said but it made Johnny very happy.

"Ponyboy." Johnny's voice was almost inaudible.

Ponyboy looked surprised for a moment and stepped over to the hospital bed and leaned over to hear what Johnny wanted to say.

"Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold..."

The last bit of color in his face and the light in his eyes faded. Johnny's lifeless head sank back into the pillow.

I didn't believe what was happening.

I couldn't.

Before I could make sense of what I was doing, I stumbled back against the wall.

"Dammit Johnny..." I begged. Sweat was streaming down my face.

I slammed my fist into the wall.

"Oh dammit Johnny, don't die, please don't die..." I chanted slamming my fists repeatedly against the wall as if I were willing it to come true.

I could feel Ponyboy's shocked stare behind me but I didn't care. I bolted out the door and ran down the hall.

"DALLAS! DALLY!"

I could hear his panicked cries after me but I ignored them and kept running.

I needed to get away.

I had to.

* * *

><p>I stared at the magazine that I held in my hands and flipped through the pages without taking anything in.<p>

I had taken the T-Bird after I had left the hospital in a hysterical state and drove aimlessly through town. I didn't pay any attention to my surroundings or where I was going. I knew I needed to get as far away from the hospital as possible.

I drove for what must have been hours before I stopped in front of a drugstore. I didn't know what I was doing here. I considered driving away but then decided to take a break from driving and walk around. I parked the car without caring if I was in the right parking space or not and jumped out of the car.

It wasn't until after I left that I realized I forgot Ponyboy at the hospital.

_Ah well, he could walk back or somethin'. Pony's a smart kid, he'll figure it out, _I thought.

Ponyboy was the least of my worries right now.

My mind kept flashing back to that moment in the hospital. As hard as I tried to filter those images out they still found their way into my head.

I couldn't wrap my mind around it. How could Johnny be dead?

I never told anyone, but Johnny was the only person I had ever cared about. More than Sylvia or anyone else in the gang. I always thought of him as the little brother I never had. It made me furious when he would come over to the Curtis's place all covered in scratches and bruises from his parents. I had always wanted to do somethin' about it and the others would have to hold me down to keep me from drivin' to Johnny's place and beat the tar outta 'em.

I wandered aimlessly around the store, still clutching the magazine in my hands.

I had been in countless fights, been beaten and bruised in every possible way and yet this hurt more than any of that.

"Ahem!" The store owner's cough interrupted my thoughts. "The store is closing in five minutes-" He stopped talking once he saw the expression on my face. "Are you alright son?"

I didn't answer.

I couldn't go on like this. There was only one thing left to do.

I tore the magazine cover off and starting tearing pages out of the magazine.

"Hey! Don't do that! I'll make you pay for that!" He shouted. The store owner stepped cautiously behind the register.

I shoved the torn up magazine back onto the rack and slowly stepped over to the checkout counter. I dug into my jacket and pulled out the gun I kept with me at all times. It wasn't loaded but it sure helped a bluff.

"Give me the money," I said through clenched teeth. I pointed the gun at his head.

"I-I-I-Please...don't..shoot..."he stuttered.

"GIVE ME THE MONEY!" I shouted. He opened the register and shoved the money into my hands. "T-t-take it and go!" He nearly whispered.

I bolted out the door and into the street. After I got two blocks I could already hear the cop sirens.

I dodged out of sight and stopped when I found a payphone.

"Hello?" I heard Darry's voice from the other line.

"Hey, it's me," I quickly explained to him the situation.

"Okay, we'll meet you at the lot," Darry said.

Thanks," I said. I hung up and continued running down the street. The sirens were getting louder and the fuzz were getting closer.

I knew it was almost over now. I didn't care. I kept on running even though the cop cars were almost all surrounding me.

The lot was a few feet away when I started to slow down.

I didn't look back at them once.

**Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I apologize if this is rushed or OOC in anyway****. I didn't have much time to edit this before I posted, but anyway** **I hope you liked it!**


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